Magic & Swords.

One day had passed. Ryuta and his friends sat on their chairs, their hands resting on the table.

Suddenly, they heard a loud noise coming from the village.

They rushed outside and found the world being destroyed by the Magician.

"I will keep destroying the village if Ryuta doesn't appear!" the Magician shouted.

Ryuta stepped forward slowly, accepting the Magician's challenge.

"A deal is a deal. If we beat you, you leave," Ryuta said confidently.

Despite not having much power, Ryuta forced himself to stop the Magician's destruction.

Ryuta called out loudly, "Return by Life!"

A glowing sword appeared in front of him.

"You are amazing, but in the end, that coolness you have will disappear in an instant after I beat you," the Magician said with confidence.

"I am thankful... but that's not what I needed to hear from you," Ryuta replied calmly.

"If you beat me, I'll make an offer about what I know," the Magician said with a grin.

The battle began.

Ryuta dashed toward the Magician, launching a surprise attack. The Magician's heart pounded—he knew Ryuta was different now. Still, he managed to block the attack.

"I am impressed once again by your strength," the Magician said firmly.

"Like I said, I don't need your acknowledgment. I need something else—your secrets. I want to know about the others," Ryuta said, clashing swords with the Magician.

"In order to do that, you must defeat me first," the Magician replied confidently.

"I agreed, didn't I?" Ryuta muttered in a low voice.

The battle raged on.

Ryuta summoned a beam of light energy from his sword, aiming for the Magician's head.

The Magician reacted quickly, blocking the attack once again.

Out of boredom, Skyler suddenly dashed forward to assist Ryuta.

Skyler summoned his sword, enchanted with unpredictable magic. Even the Magician felt suspicious of its power.

The Magician narrowed his eyes as Skyler joined the fight. "A Fool has no place in a battle of fate," he sneered.

Skyler grinned. "That's where you're wrong! A Fool has unlimited potential!"

Without hesitation, Skyler swung his sword, its magic shifting unpredictably. The blade crackled with chaotic energy, making it impossible for the Magician to anticipate his next move.

The Magician took a step back, barely managing to block Skyler's wild strikes. "Tch… Annoying!" he muttered, raising his hand. A dozen magical sigils formed in the air, launching a barrage of fireballs toward Skyler and Ryuta.

Ryuta reacted swiftly, slashing through the flames with his glowing sword. Skyler, on the other hand, simply dodged with erratic movements, spinning and flipping like a leaf caught in the wind. His unpredictable fighting style made him harder to hit than the Magician expected.

"You're not fighting like a warrior. You're playing around!" the Magician growled, summoning a massive spear of light and hurling it at Skyler.

Skyler smirked. "Then I'll keep playing until you lose!"

At the last second, Skyler's sword shifted into a staff, and he slammed it into the ground. A shockwave of chaotic energy erupted, distorting the space around them. The Magician's spear suddenly curved midair—missing its target and shattering harmlessly.

"Impossible!" The Magician's eyes widened. "That attack was absolute!"

Skyler shrugged. "The Fool follows no rules."

Taking advantage of the moment, Ryuta lunged forward, his sword shining with overwhelming light.

"It's over, Magician!" Ryuta roared, swinging his blade down with all his strength.

The Magician barely managed to block, but the force sent him skidding back. He was weakening.

"Tch… Fine!" the Magician spat, his smirk fading. "You want answers? Then fight me at my full power!"

He raised both hands, and suddenly, the sky darkened. The air crackled with an ominous force as an enormous floating tarot card appeared behind him—the Magician Arcana at its peak.

"Let's see if you can defeat me… when I stop holding back!"

The battle had only just begun.

The Magician raised his hand, and the giant floating tarot card behind him began to glow ominously. The symbols of magic and knowledge on the card pulsed, radiating overwhelming energy.

"Let's see if you can survive this!" the Magician shouted as he slammed his hands together.

Suddenly, chains of pure mana erupted from the ground, rushing toward Ryuta and Skyler.

Skyler flipped backward, barely avoiding the chains. "Whoa! You really don't hold back, huh?" he laughed, his sword shifting back into a blade.

Ryuta, however, didn't retreat. He slashed through the chains, his glowing sword cutting through them like paper. "Your tricks won't work on me!" he shouted.

The Magician smirked. "Then let's make this even more interesting."

With a wave of his hand, the sky tore open, revealing an endless abyss of swirling colors. From the void, dozens of floating cards emerged, each one crackling with magical power.

"Arcana Storm!"

The cards shot toward Ryuta and Skyler, each one carrying a different spell—fire, ice, electricity, gravity, and even illusions.

Skyler spun midair, his Fool card glowing, allowing him to phase through some attacks while reflecting others. "This is insane! But kinda fun!" he laughed.

Ryuta, on the other hand, held his ground. "No more games." His sword began to glow brighter than ever before.

He sliced through the incoming spells, his blade absorbing the magic instead of being destroyed by it. The energy flowed into him, making his movements even faster.

The Magician's eyes widened. "You absorbed my magic?!"

Ryuta dashed forward at blinding speed, appearing right in front of the Magician before he could react.

"This ends now!" Ryuta slashed downward.

The Magician barely managed to summon a shield, but the moment the sword made contact—CRACK!—his shield shattered like glass.

Skyler took the chance and jumped over Ryuta, landing a spinning kick straight to the Magician's chest, sending him flying.

The Magician crashed into the ground, coughing. "Damn you two…"

Ryuta and Skyler stood side by side, ready for the final blow.

"Time to keep your promise, Magician," Ryuta said, his sword glowing menacingly.

The Magician, now struggling to get up, grinned through the pain. "Heh… Alright, alright… You win."

With a snap of his fingers, the dark sky disappeared, and the world returned to normal.

He wiped the blood from his mouth and smirked. "You wanted answers, right? Fine. I'll tell you… but you won't like what you hear."

The Magician smirked, leaning against a broken pillar as he caught his breath. "You really think you're ready for the truth, Ryuta?" he asked, his voice laced with amusement.

Ryuta didn't hesitate. "Where is the Deity of Life?"

The Magician exhaled, wiping blood from his mouth. "He's alive."

Skyler narrowed his eyes. "Alive? That doesn't make any sense."

The Magician chuckled. "It doesn't have to. But he's out there, closer than you think."

Ryuta's grip on his sword tightened. "Tell me where."

The Magician smirked, shaking his head. "Now, now… that would be too easy. But I'll give you a hint—he's hiding. And if you don't find him first, someone else will."

A heavy silence followed.

Skyler crossed his arms. "Why is he hiding?"

The Magician's grin widened. "Fear. Maybe of himself, maybe of what he can do. But if he stays in the shadows for too long… it won't end well for any of you."

Ryuta's eyes burned with determination. "Then I'll find him before that happens."

The Magician simply smirked. "We'll see."

With that, he snapped his fingers—and vanished into thin air.

Only his laughter remained, echoing in the silent ruins.